'''Zine Guide''' was a [[review zine]] published by [[Brent Ritzel]] (who also published [[Tail Spins]]). Ritzel described it as "Complete contact information for 1500+ zines and assorted independent publications. Complete contents, cost, pages, size, and production quality of all available issues of every zine listed. Indexes of bands, record labels, and all subjects/topics." With glossy covers and it's mammoth size, Zine Guide resembled a magazine in appearance, but it's content was an in-depth, cross-referenced directory of the [[DIY]] zine community.

'''Zine Guide''' was a [[review zine]] published by [[Brent Ritzel]] (who also published [[Tail Spins]]). Ritzel described it as "Complete contact information for 1500+ zines and assorted independent publications. Complete contents, cost, pages, size, and production quality of all available issues of every zine listed. Indexes of bands, record labels, and all subjects/topics." With glossy covers and it's mammoth size, Zine Guide resembled a magazine in appearance, but it's content was an in-depth, cross-referenced directory of the [[DIY]] zine community.

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In addition to zine listings, Zine Guide also encouraged readers to "vote" or "rate" their favorite and least favorite zines and included famous zinesters, band members and indie record label owners' lists of their favorite zines. The zine printed rankings from it's readers, including the top ten zines in various categories and the top 100 most popular zines. This practiced caused some contraversy and Zine Guide received (and published) angry letters about this practice. Regardless how one viewed the voting and rankings, for a few years Zine Guide served as an impressive resource and up-to-date directory of zines.

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In addition to zine listings, Zine Guide also encouraged readers to vote or rate their favorite and least favorite zines and included famous [[zinester]]s, band members and indie record label owners' lists of their favorite zines. The zine printed rankings from it's readers, including the top ten zines in various categories and the top 100 most popular zines. This practice caused some controversy and Zine Guide received (and published) angry letters about this practice. Regardless how one viewed the voting and rankings, for six issues between 1997 and 2004 Zine Guide served as an impressive resource and up-to-date directory of zines. Zine Guide's first issue came out in December 1997 and was followed three months later by the last issue #64 of [[Factsheet 5]].

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Ritzel announced December 13, 2004 on [[alt.zines]] that he had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy because of the personal debt he had accumulated printing the Zine Guide and Tail Spins. Issue #7, for which he and his co-workers had compiled thousands of listing for, never saw the light of day. Ritzel, who had been such a prominant active member in the zine community for years, dropped out from zining completely.

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Upon moving out to Colorado's Front Range in early 2006, [[Brent Ritzel]] started teaching a course on zines and self-publishing at Naropa University, a Buddhist university located in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

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[[Category:Zine]] [[Category:Review Zine]]

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Brent relocated back his hometown of Carbondale, Illinois in late 2009. He served a three-year term as President of the Fuller Dome Home Non-Profit, leading the organization in fundraising $262,000 of their $300,000 goal needed to restore the 52 year-old only dome home of Buckminster Fuller, the inventor of the architectural structure.

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Brent is currently a graduate student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the Masters of Public Administration Program, is a research assistant in the Political Papers division of Special Collections at SIUC's Morris Library, writes scientific papers for the renewable energy company he is an equity partner in, Equitech International, LLC (http://equitechllc.com) and also publishes the zine "The Bucky Fuller Files" that features rare and obscure writings by and concerning Buckminster Fuller (http://fullerfuture.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/buckminsterfuller-whywomenwillruletheworld-print.pdf). Brent is also Co-Director of the Fuller Future Festival (http://FullerFutureFest.com) taking place April 4-6, 2013 at SIUC and in Carbondale, Illinois, an event that honors Buckminster Fuller's local legacy and his concept of "Livingry: Designing Peace."

Revision as of 03:24, 14 January 2013

Zine Guide Issue #6

Zine Guide was a review zine published by Brent Ritzel (who also published Tail Spins). Ritzel described it as "Complete contact information for 1500+ zines and assorted independent publications. Complete contents, cost, pages, size, and production quality of all available issues of every zine listed. Indexes of bands, record labels, and all subjects/topics." With glossy covers and it's mammoth size, Zine Guide resembled a magazine in appearance, but it's content was an in-depth, cross-referenced directory of the DIY zine community.

In addition to zine listings, Zine Guide also encouraged readers to vote or rate their favorite and least favorite zines and included famous zinesters, band members and indie record label owners' lists of their favorite zines. The zine printed rankings from it's readers, including the top ten zines in various categories and the top 100 most popular zines. This practice caused some controversy and Zine Guide received (and published) angry letters about this practice. Regardless how one viewed the voting and rankings, for six issues between 1997 and 2004 Zine Guide served as an impressive resource and up-to-date directory of zines. Zine Guide's first issue came out in December 1997 and was followed three months later by the last issue #64 of Factsheet 5.

Upon moving out to Colorado's Front Range in early 2006, Brent Ritzel started teaching a course on zines and self-publishing at Naropa University, a Buddhist university located in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

Brent relocated back his hometown of Carbondale, Illinois in late 2009. He served a three-year term as President of the Fuller Dome Home Non-Profit, leading the organization in fundraising $262,000 of their $300,000 goal needed to restore the 52 year-old only dome home of Buckminster Fuller, the inventor of the architectural structure.

Brent is currently a graduate student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the Masters of Public Administration Program, is a research assistant in the Political Papers division of Special Collections at SIUC's Morris Library, writes scientific papers for the renewable energy company he is an equity partner in, Equitech International, LLC (http://equitechllc.com) and also publishes the zine "The Bucky Fuller Files" that features rare and obscure writings by and concerning Buckminster Fuller (http://fullerfuture.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/buckminsterfuller-whywomenwillruletheworld-print.pdf). Brent is also Co-Director of the Fuller Future Festival (http://FullerFutureFest.com) taking place April 4-6, 2013 at SIUC and in Carbondale, Illinois, an event that honors Buckminster Fuller's local legacy and his concept of "Livingry: Designing Peace."